Our Research Interests
Our vision in integrating biology and medicine with micro and nanotechnology can be categorized into two broad areas, namely how micro/nano-fabrication can help solve problems in life sciences (such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and tissue engineering), and how we can learn more from life science to solve important problems in micro/nano-science and engineering (such as bio-inspired self-assembly, etc.). This is schematically shown below.
Thrust areas of research in our lab
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Nano Science and Engineering
Design, synthesis and surface bioconjugation of functional materials and structures on the nanometer scale. Examples include multicolor upconversion nanocrystals, quantum dots (Qdots) for fluorescence imaging, magnetic nanoparticles for MRI, metallic nanoparticles for SPR, and mesoporous nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery.
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Multiplexed Bio-detection
We have developed an optical barcoding technology for massive parallel and high-throughput analysis of biological molecules. This barcoding approach can produce millions of distinct optical codes for simultaneous analysis of genes, proteins, cells, and small molecule drugs.
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Molecular Bioimaging
Rapid advances in non-invasive imaging are changing the way we visualize molecular dynamics in living organisms. We are currently interested in engineering NIR luminescent and multifunctional nanoparticle probes for early detection of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
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Instrumentation for Theranostics
Engineer imaging and spectroscopic instruments for in vitro and in vivo quantitative detections. Engineer instruments for optical Molecular imaging.
